Size adjustment for caps



Feb. 23, 1960 J. DE GRAZIA SIZE ADJUSTMENT FOR CAPS Filed May 20, 1958 INVENTOR Joseph De Grazia.

United States Patent SIZE ADJUSTMENT FOR CAPS Joseph De Grazia, Washington, .D.C., assignor to the "United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Application May 20, 1958, Serial No. 736,645

1 Claim. (Cl. 2-197) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to size adjustments for head coverings such as caps or the like. More specifically the invention relates to the type of size adjustment wherein the side wall of the cap is provided with laterally spaced free edges or portions defining a size adjusting area and wherein such spaced portions are adjustably connected together by a flexible member such as a lace whereby to vary the size of the cap or the like.

In the usual adjustment of this type, the bight of the lace is located at the top of the size adjusting area whereby the free ends of the lace are located at the bottom of such area and are there tied together outwardly of the cap or the like. This arrangement has the disadvantages that the knot of the tied lace is disposed over the sweat hand area of the cap whereby it tends to bear on or chate the wearers head. Likewise, the exposed knot is not only unsightly but is susceptible of being accidentally untied whereby to require either repeated adjustments or a knot which is not readily untied.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved size adjustment for head coverings or the like.

A further object is to provide an improved size adjustment for head coverings or the like which not only disposes the securing means for the adjusting means inside of the cap but locates it remotely of the head engaging or sweatband area of the head covering.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of the invention, the structure of the several elements thereof, combinations and subcombinations of such elements with each other and/or a head covering, all of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawing disclosing one species of the invention and to the following specification wherein the invention is described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a head covering to which the size adjustment of the invention has been applied;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view of the size adjustment area of the head covering;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the area disclosed in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an element of the invention apart from the rest of the structure.

Referring specifically to the invention, wherein like reference characters designate like parts in all views, designates generally any suitable head covering which may be a typical military fatigue cap having a visor 11, side wall 12 and crown 13. The side wall 12 depends from the crown 13 and defines therewith a corner. The head 9 of the wearer does not fill this corner and provides therewith an annular area 8 which is defined by the head 9 of the wearer, the upper portion of the side wall 12 and the outer portion of the crown 13. The side wall 12 is formed with a slit or inverted notch 14 which extends substantially the entire height of the side wall 12 and which includes opposed free edges 15 and 16 which are formed with twin rows of lacing eyelets 17 through which a flexible tie or lace 18 is threaded so as to adjust such free edges toward and away from each other whereby to adjust the size of the cap in a manner readily understood.

A gusset 20 is secured to the side wall 12 interiorly thereof. The gusset 20 includes the usual side edges 21 which are inwardly directed toward each other and which are secured to the side wall 12 on opposite sides of the slit 14 laterally outwardly of and parallel to the free edges 15 and 16 as well as to the two rows of eyelets 17 in any suitable manner as by the lines of stitching 22. One or more openings such as the pair of eyelets 23 are for-med through the gusset 20 remotely of the lower edge thereof. In the species illustrated, eyelets 23 are located in :the upper portion of the gusset 20 in the region of the crown 13. The free ends of the lace or the like 18 are threaded through the eyelets 23 to the interior of the cap 10 and are there tied in an ordinary bow knot 24.

It will be noted that this arrangement departs from the usual in a number of respects. In the first place the bight 25 of the lace 18 is located at the bottom of the slit 14. In the second place, the knot 24 is located inside of the cap at a spot within the aforesaid annular area 8 where it will not normally contact the head of the wearer. Thus, not only is there no danger of the knot bruising or chafing the head, but there is no danger of friction between the head and the knot 24 loosening or even untying the latter. At the same time, it is a simple matter to adjust the cap to the proper size either by trial and error or by turning the cap inside out, tightening the lace and tying the knot 24. The cap may then be returned to its normal arrangement. This is easily accomplished as caps of this type are usually made of lightweight material.

As illustrated, the size adjustment has been closed completely so that the cap is reduced to the smallest head size. However, if the knot 24 is untied and the lace 18 is loosened, the edges 15 and 16 defining the slit 14 may be spread apart to increase the size of the cap in a manner readily understood.

It follows from the foregoing that the adjustment of the invention not only accomplishes the objects of the invention but also presents a more attractive and military appearance. At the same time, it is readily adaptable to standard caps or the like with a minimum of alteration. Also, it should be understood that while there has been shown and described what is now thought to be a preferred form of the invention, the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, it is understood that the invention is not considered to be limited to the precise structure shown and described hereinabove but only as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

In a size adjustment for a cap or the like having a crown and a side wall depending from said crown, said crown and side wall intersecting to define an annular area which is outside of the area occupied by the head of a wearer, said side wall being formed with a vertical size adjusting slit, said slit having a closed upper end in the region of said crown and two opposed free edges formed with parallel and vertical rows of lacing eyelets, and a lace if v 3,925,606

threaded upwardly through said eyelets to dispdse said free ends of said lace adjacent said closed upper end of said slit; the improvement comprising said gusset being formed with a pair of laterally spaced lacing eyelets providing access to the interior-of said cap, said last named 5 eyelets being disposed adjacent said crown, said free ends of said lace being passed through said last named eyelets, and said free ends of said laces being readily detachably secured together in the region of said crown in said annular area so as to be out of contact with the head m :of a wearer.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Yarwood May 10, 1887 Kuhn 'ij Dec. 8, 1891 Drake Feb. 9, 1904 Davis Nov. 14, 1922 Rufling Sept. 29, 1931 Henschel Jan. 1, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Great. Britain June 21, 1928 

